Humphries Secures Finals Berth Amidst Littler’s Controversy and Tragedy
Luke Humphries, the current world number one, narrowly qualified for November’s Players championship Finals, while a difficult week for teenage sensation Luke Littler culminated in frustration and criticism. The qualification drama unfolded during the final Players Championship event of the year, held at Robin Park Leisure Center in Wigan.
Humphries, 30, began the day precariously positioned at 58th in the rankings. A loss in the opening round of Players Championship 34 woudl have meant missing out on the prestigious end-of-season tournament.Fortunately, he secured a 6-2 victory over Martijn Dragt, ensuring his place before ultimately falling 6-4 to Rob Owen in the subsequent round.
The Road to Minehead
The Players Championship Finals, taking place in Minehead, Somerset from November 21st-23rd, will feature the top 64 players from the 34-event series. This tournament represents a notable prospect for players to showcase their skills and compete for a substantial prize fund.
littler, 18, had already secured his spot earlier this month with a win at Players Championship 32. However, his journey to qualification was overshadowed by unfortunate circumstances.
A Harrowing Travel Delay and Subsequent Disappointment
Littler faced a stressful situation on Wednesday, becoming delayed due to a serious incident on the M6 motorway. Sadly, this resulted in him missing the 11:00 GMT registration deadline for Players Championship 33. It was later confirmed that the incident involved a fatality, prompting Littler to express his condolences on Instagram, stating, “Missed registration today for the pro tour, but someone sadly lost their life. Thinking of everyone.”
Despite the emotional toll, Littler competed on Thursday, reaching the last 32 before a narrow 6-5 defeat against Canada’s Matt Campbell. Following this match, he voiced his discontent with tournament officials via a now-deleted Instagram post.
Concerns Over Consistent Submission of Rules
Littler publicly questioned the fairness of the registration rules, alleging inconsistencies in their application. He claimed that other players had been permitted to participate despite arriving late, while he was penalized for being just two minutes past the deadline.
“Not the best day today but played some decent stuff,” he wrote. “But really glad to hear from a few of the other players that people have been let in almost half an hour late for a pro tour but I can’t be two minutes late. Says a lot, one rule for one and one for another.”
Other Notable Results and Absences
Wessel Nijman of the netherlands claimed the Players Championship 34 title, defeating Luke Woodhouse of England 8-5 in the final. Meanwhile, three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen will be absent from the Finals.He finished outside the top 64 in the rankings after opting not to participate in the final two events of the series.
This year’s Players Championship series has been filled with drama, showcasing both the talent and the challenges faced by professional darts players. As the Finals approach, all eyes will be on Minehead to see who will emerge victorious.
